Hidden Past
by RUNOS SISTER
Summary: Mae Lee wants to do her part for the war, even if it means banding with her cousins and leaving her already crumbling home life behind. Takes place at the Air Temple during the war.
1. Chapter 1

Mae Lee dipped her hands into the cool fountain water, feeling the cold sensation. She gave a sigh as the dirt that caked her hands began to dissolve into the water. She gave a soft smile as she watched her

dark skin turned white.

"Mae Lee?"

She looked over her shoulder, surprised to see Souka the standing there.

"Yes cousin?" She asked, taking her hands out and drying them on the skirt of her dress.

"Well...why do you always make yourself darker?" He asked, picking at her mud and dust covered hair.

"Because Souka. A pale haired, pale skinned girl is fairly easy to track. Especially when her father and mother were of two different elements," she replied, standing. She began walking towards the

waterfall outside the temple, Souka following.

"So your father was a fire nation noble. Your mother, was my aunt. Sounds messed up to me. But you're not like your dad," Souka said, trying to counsel his younger cousin.

"So? My energy levels are all out of whack! Sometimes I bend fire, other times water, and the rest the time nothing!" She yelled at him as they reached the falls. Leaning down, she slid off her shoes as Souka

sat on a nearby rock. Walking over, she turned her back to him and waited as he undid the strings that held her dress and pouch together. After he put the pouch next to him, she undid her dress so she was in

her swim/train wear. She tossed the dress to Souka and watched him toss it into the lake. Rolling her eyes, she walked into the water and grabbed the wet clothing. Quickly scrubbing it, she lifted it above the

water and wrung it out. She tossed it over to Souka, who laid it over the rock next to him before lying down. Mae Lee smirked, walking deeper into the water. When the water reached past her waist, she

ducked under the water to scrub her feet and legs. Opening her eyes, she watched the dirt fall away to reveal the pale skin the fire nation was well known for. Kicking her newly cleaned feet, she reached the

surface for a breath of air. Scratching the dirt off her face she continued rubbing her arms and waist. When her body was clean she swam away from the dirt clouds to cleaner and deeper water. Taking a deep

breath, she went under and began to scrub her long hair. After a minute, she came up again, dirt flowing like water from her hair, revealing the silver hair underneath. Going back under, she began to swim as

she scrubbed at her hair. She kept repeating this until her silver hair looked normal and not crusted. Swimming to shore, she felt Souka look at her.

"You know 'cuz, I like you better when you're not covering up who you are," he said, watching as a strong wind came and dried her clothes. Her hair billowed around her, twisting and knotting being itself as it

dried.

"Thanks Souka. Why don't you head back? Katara'll be up soon," Mae Lee said, tying her silver hair up in a bun, Toph could help her untangle it later. Souka gave a smile before running back towards the

temple. Mae Lee smiled, picking up her dress and pouch. Pulling the dress over her head, she remembered how she used to fight with the maids about wanting to dress herself. With a sigh she fell back onto

the ground and closed her eyes. She let her pouch staying next to her left leg and bolded a hand over her stomach. As she drifted into a dream, various memories from long ago began to replay in her mind.

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><p><strong>I don't own L.A.B, Mae Lee is an OC. This is an experimental fic, purely posted because I know my friend is waiting to see a response to how people like our writing styles together.<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

"Zuko!"

"Mae Lee!"

Both children ran to one another, excited to finally meet after being apart for days.

"So you Zuko, what kept you too busy for your best friend?" Mae Lee asked teasingly.

Zuko's eight-year-old face turned red, "Mother and Father wanted me to meet some girl who could be my bride…"

"Eww… Gross, you're only eight! I'm only seven and my parents haven't even thought of making me someone's bride," Mae Lee said, scrunching up her nose. Zuko smiled before grabbing her hand and running towards the garden.

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><p>"Mae Lee, this job is very important to Mama. Mama's friend is going to let her watch the Prince and Princess. The Princess is your age, Prince Zuko is a year older…Promise Mama not to cause trouble?" A mother asked her young child.<p>

"Mama, I never want to make trouble. Is it because of my hair?" The six-year-old asked, pulling her shoulder length silver hair with a slightly chubby arm.

"Oh dear," the mother quickly grabbed her child's hand and led her into the room. There was a girl "playing" with an Earth styled doll and a boy holding a dagger gilded with gold calligraphy. They stop what they're doing and stand to "welcome" their new "nanny" and her daughter. The Prince sat back down after greeting them with a stiff nod, lounging on the mats and large stuffed pillows. The Princess walked over first and studied them with sharp eyes.

"I suppose you'll do," she turned to the Prince, "Zuko, you can take the girl, she can be your maid. The mother will cater to my needs." She pushed Mae Lee to Zuko. Mae Lee crashed to the ground near Zuko's feet. Slowly she pushed herself to her knees and looked at him through lowered eyes. Zuko rolled his eyes as he sheathed his dagger. He got up from his lounging mat and walked out the door, it is ignoring her. Mae Lee groaned as she got up and followed them.

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><p>Zuko was sitting on the ledge of a water fountain in the garden. Mae Lee sat quietly next to him, her hands busy making a crown of daisies.<p>

"Sing," the command came with no warning. Mae Lee froze and raised her eyes to his.

"You can talk right?" He asked. Mae Lee suddenly realized she had never said a word to him since her mother began working at the palace last month.

"Yes, I can talk… Sir," she said, careful of what she said.

"Then sing," he said, lightly tapping his foot on her leg. She did as she was told, and sang of the spring when flowers came out to say hello. When she finished, her head bowed itself. A firm hand patted her shoulder.

"You're good-" He said, thinking for her name.

"Mae Lee… My name is Mae Lee, Prince Zuko," she whispered.

"Just call me Zuko, Mae Lee," he said before taking the daisy crown she made and placing it on her head.

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><p>"What do you mean Zuko?"<p>

"I mean I really like you."

"Zuko…"

If anyone cared to look towards the royal balcony, they'd see the 15 year old prince embracing the soon-to-be 14 year old girl whom he was inseparable from.

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><p>Mae Lee was walking to Zuko's to wake him up. Today he turned 16, and in a week he would be fighting his father. She turned another corner to see Zuko kissing May, a "friend" of his sister. She watched, rooted to the spot as they continued kissing. When they pulled apart, they smiled before turning towards her and freezing.<p>

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><p>Mae Lee woke up and pushed herself into a sitting position. Grabbing her pouch, she stood and began running back to the Air Temple… Something was about to happen.<p> 


End file.
